Ukuphila Okuyizigidi Kuyabhujiswa
UNGOMUNYE wemikhiqizo ethengwa kakhulu emhlabeni. Uthengwa abantu abaningi abawushisekelayo futhi unemakethe eyanda ngokushesha okukhulu. Izinkampani zawo ezijabulayo zingenisa izindimbane zenzuzo, zinethonya kwezombangazwe, futhi ziyachuma. Okuwukuphela kwenkinga ukuthi amakhasimende awo aphambili ayaqhubeka efa!
I-Economist iyaphawula: “Ugwayi uphakathi kwemikhiqizo ethengwayo engenisa imali eningi kakhulu emhlabeni. Futhi uwukuphela komkhiqizo (ongokomthetho), okuthi lapho usetshenziswa ngendlela ehlosiwe, uphendule iningi labawusebenzisayo babe imilutha futhi ubabulale.” Lokhu kulethela izinkampani zikagwayi inzuzo enkulu kodwa amakhasimende azo alahlekelwa kakhulu. Ngokwe-U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, kuncishiswa iminyaka yokuphila engaba izigidi ezinhlanu ekuphileni kwabantu ababhemayo eMelika unyaka ngamunye, cishe umzuzu owodwa ngomzuzu ngamunye osetshenziselwa ukubhema. “Ukubhema kubulala amaMelika angu-420 000 ngonyaka,” kubika umagazini i-Newsweek. “Lokho kuphinda inani lababulawa izidakamizwa ezingemthetho izikhathi ezingu-50.”
Emhlabeni jikelele, abantu abayizigidi ezintathu ngonyaka—abayisithupha umzuzu ngamunye—babulawa ukubhema, ngokwencwadi ethi Mortality From Smoking in Developed Countries 1950-2000, enyatheliswa i-Imperial Cancer Research Fund yaseBrithani, i-WHO (World Health Organization), ne-American Cancer Society. Lokhukuhlaziywa kwemikhuba yokubhema emhlabeni, okubanzi kakhulu kuze kube manje, kuhlanganisa amazwe angu-45. “Emazweni amaningi,” kuxwayisa uRichard Peto we-Imperial Cancer Research Fund, “isimo sizoba sibi nakakhulu. Uma imikhuba yokubhema ekhona manje iqhubeka, khona-ke lapho intsha ebhemayo namuhla ifinyelela iminyaka yokuqina noma yokuguga, kuyobe kunabantu abayizigidi eziyishumi ababulawa ukubhema unyaka ngamunye—ukufa koyedwa njalo emizuzwaneni emithathu.”
“Ukubhema akufani nenye ingozi,” kusho uDkt. Alan Lopez we-WHO. “Ekugcineni kuyobulala umuntu oyedwa obhemayo kwababili.” UMartin Vessey we-Department of Public Health e-Oxford University ngokufanayo uthi: “Lokhu okuye kwatholakala eminyakeni engu-40 kuholela esiphethweni esibi sokuthi ingxenye yabo bonke ababhemayo ekugcineni iyobulawa umkhuba wayo—umcabango owesabisayo ngempela.” Kusukela ngawo-1950, ukubhema kuye kwabulala abantu abayizigidi ezingu-60.
Kuwumcabango owesabisa ngempela nasezinkampanini zikagwayi. Uma abantu abayizigidi ezintathu emhlabeni wonke manje befa unyaka ngamunye ngenxa yezizathu ezihlobene nokubhema, futhi abanye abaningi beyeka ukubhema, khona-ke kumelwe kutholakale ababhemi abasha abayizigidi ezintathu minyaka yonke.
Kuye kwavela omunye umthombo ngenxa yalokho izinkampani zikagwayi ezikubiza ngokuthi inkululeko yabesifazane. Ukubhema kwabesifazane bekukhona iminyaka ethile emazweni aseNtshonalanga futhi manje kudlulela ezindaweni lapho kwakubhekwa khona njengehlazo. Izinkampani zikagwayi zihlose ukukushintsha konke lokho. Zifuna ukusiza abesifazane ukuba bajabulele ukuchuma nenkululeko yabo entsha. Izinhlobo zikagwayi ezikhethekile okuthiwa zinetiyela ne-nicotine encane zihuha abesifazane ababhemayo futhi abathola ugwayi onjalo ungeyona ingozi enkulu. Omunye ugwayi ufakwa amakha noma unomklamo omude, ozacile—indlela abesifazane abangase bathembe ukubukeka ngayo lapho bebhema. Izikhangiso zikagwayi e-Asia ziveza onobuhle abasebasha, abahle abagqoke ngendlela ehehayo yaseNtshonalanga.
Nokho, amazinga okufa okuhlobene nokubhema ahambisana “nenkululeko” yabesifazane. Inani lezisulu zomdlavuza wamaphaphu phakathi kwabesifazane liye laphindeka kabili kuleminyaka edlule engu-20 eBrithani, eJapane, eNorway, ePoland, naseSweden. E-United States naseCanada, amazinga aye akhuphuka ngamaphesenti angu-300. Esinye isikhangiso sikagwayi sithi: “Usuthuthuke kakhulu, ntokazi!”
Ezinye izinkampani zikagwayi zinendlela yazo yokusingatha isimo. Inkampani ethile yasePhilippines kulelozwe eligcwele amaKatolika yasakaza amakhalenda amahhala anesithombe seNcasakazi uMariya neziqubulo zomkhiqizo wayo kagwayi zibekwe ngesibindi ngaphansi kwalesisithombe. “Ngangingakaze ngibone lutho olufana nakho ngaphambili,” kusho uDkt. Rosmarie Erben, umeluleki wezempilo we-WHO e-Asia. “Babezama ukuhlobanisa lesisithombe nogwayi, ukuze benze abesifazane basePhilippines bakhululeke ngokubhema.”
EChina kulinganiselwa ukuthi amaphesenti angu-61 amadoda akhulile ayabhema, kuyilapho kungamaphesenti angu-7 kuphela abesifazane abhemayo. Izinkampani zikagwayi zaseNtshonalanga zigxilise ukunakekela kwazo “enkululekweni” yalababesifazane abathandekayo basemazweni aseMpumalanga, izigidi zabo osekuyisikhathi eside zinqatshelwe “izinjabulo” ezitholwa odadewabo abavelele baseNtshonalanga. Nokho, isithiyo esisodwa esikhulu kulokhu yilesi: Inkampani kagwayi kahulumeni ikhiqiza iningi lalogwayi.
Nokho, izinkampani zaseNtshonalanga ziyathubeleza kancane kancane. Njengoba zinamathuba okukhangisa alinganiselwe, ezinye izinkampani zikagwayi zifuna ukuzuza amakhasimende azo esikhathi esizayo ngendlela enobuqili. IChina ithenga amabhayisikobho eHong Kong, futhi kwamaningi awo, abadlali bayakhokhelwa ukuba babheme—ukuthengisa ngobuqili!
Njengoba isimo siba bucayi emazweni azo, izinkampani zikagwayi zaseMelika ezichumayo zihahela ukuthola izisulu ezintsha. Amaqiniso abonisa ukuthi zikhankasele amazwe asathuthuka.
Izikhulu zezempilo emhlabeni wonke ziyaxwayisa. Izihloko ezinkulu ziyamemezela: “I-Afrika Ilwa Nobhadane Olusha—Ukubhema Ugwayi.” “Intuthu Iphenduka Amalangabi E-Asia Njengoba Imakethe Kagwayi Ichuma.” “Amazinga Okubhema E-Asia Azobangela Umqedazwe Womdlavuza.” “Amazwe Asathuthuka Abhekene Nempi Entsha Kagwayi.”
Izwekazi lase-Afrika liye lagadlwa isomiso, impi yombango, nomqedazwe wengculaza. Nokho, uDkt. Keith Ball, udokotela wenhliziyo waseBrithani, uthi: “Ngaphandle kwempi yenuzi noma indlala, ukubhema ugwayi kuwusongo olukhulu kakhulu empilweni yesikhathi esizayo e-Afrika.”
Izinkampani ezinkulu emhlabeni ziqasha abalimi bendawo ukuba batshale ugwayi. Abalimi bagawula imithi edingeka kakhulu ekuphekeni, ekubaseni, nasekwakheni izindlu futhi bayisebenzisele ukulungiselela ugwayi. Batshala ugwayi ongenisa imali kunokuba batshale izilimo zokudla ezingangenisi imali eningi. Abantu base-Afrika abampofu ngokuvamile bachitha ingxenye enkulu yeholo labo elincane ngokuthenga ugwayi. Ngakho imikhaya yabase-Afrika iqothulwa ukungondleki kuyilapho izinkampani zikagwayi zaseNtshonalanga ziceba ngezinzuzo ezinkulu.
Amazwe ase-Afrika, eMpumalanga Yurophu, naseLatin America wonke ahlaselwa izinkampani zikagwayi zaseNtshonalanga, ezibheka amazwe asathuthuka njengethuba elikhulu lokwandisa ibhizinisi. Kodwa i-Asia enenani elikhulu labantu iwumthombo wengcebo omkhulu kunayo yonke. IChina iyodwa okwamanje inabantu ababhemayo abaningi kunalo lonke inani labantu base-United States—izigidi ezingu-300. Babhema inani elishaqisayo losikilidi abayizigidi zezigidi ezingu-1,6 ngonyaka, ingxenye eyodwa kwezintathu yengqikithi ebhenywa emhlabeni wonke!
“Odokotela bathi imiphumela engokwempilo yokuchuma kukagwayi e-Asia iyesabisa ngempela,” kubika i-New York Times. URichard Peto ulinganisela ukuthi kubantu abayizigidi eziyishumi okulindeleke ukuba bafe unyaka ngamunye ngenxa yokubhema eminyakeni engu-20 noma engu-30 ezayo, abayizigidi ezimbili bayobe beseChina kuphela. UPeto uthi izigidi ezingu-50 zabantwana baseChina abaphilayo namuhla zingase zibulawe izifo ezihlobene nokubhema.
UDkt. Nigel Gray wakufingqa ngalendlela: “Umlando wokubhema eminyakeni engamashumi amahlanu edlule eChina naseMpumalanga Yurophu ubikezela umqedazwe omkhulu wesifo esibangelwa ugwayi kulawomazwe.”
UDkt. Prakit Vateesatokit we-Anti-Smoking Campaign yaseThailand wabuza: “Umkhiqizo obulala abantu abangu-400 000 ngaphambi kwesikhathi unyaka ngamunye e-United States, umkhiqizo uHulumeni wase-United States ozama kanzima ukusiza izakhamuzi zawo ukuba ziwuyeke, ungahluka kanjani ngokuphazima kweso lapho usungalé kwemingcele yaseMelika? Ingabe impilo iba engabalulekile lapho umkhiqizo ofanayo uthunyelwa kwamanye amazwe?”
Amabhizinisi kagwayi athuthukayo anobuhlobo obukhulu nohulumeni wase-United States. Aye alwa ndawonye kanye nohulumeni ukuze athole isizinda kwamanye amazwe, ikakhulukazi ezimakethe zase-Asia. Iminyaka eminingi ugwayi waseMelika bewenqatshelwe eJapane, eTaiwan, eThailand, nakwamanye amazwe, amanye ayenohulumeni ababenezinkampani zabo siqu zemikhiqizo kagwayi. Amaqembu amelene nokubhema abhikishela ukuba ugwayi ungathengwa ngaphandle, kodwa isishaya-mthetho sase-United States sasongela ngesikhali esishukumisayo—unswinyo oluyisijeziso.
Kusukela ngo-1985 kuqhubeke, engaphansi kokucindezela okukhulu kukahulumeni wase-United States, amazwe amaningi ase-Asia aye avula amasango awo, futhi ugwayi waseMelika ubungena ngobuningi. Ukuthunyelwa kukagwayi wase-United States e-Asia kwanda ngamaphesenti angu-75 ngo-1988.
Mhlawumbe izisulu ezidabukisa kunazo zonke zezimpi zikagwayi yizingane. Ukuhlola okuthile okwabikwa kuyi-Journal of the American Medical Association kuthi “izingane nentsha bakha u-90% wabo bonke abantu abasanda kuqala ukubhema.”
Isihloko esithile kuyi-U.S.News & World Report silinganisela ukuthi inani lentsha ebhemayo e-United States liyizigidi ezingu-3,1. Nsuku zonke kunabantu abaqala ukubhema abangu-3 000—abangu-1 000 000 ngonyaka.
Isikhangiso esithile sikagwayi siveza ikamela eliwupopayi eliphishekela injabulo, elivame ukulengisa usikilidi ezindebeni zalo. Lesisikhangiso sikagwayi simangalelwa ngokuhehela izingane ebugqilini bukagwayi ngaphambi kokuba ziqonde izingozi ezingokwempilo. Phakathi neminyaka emithathu ikhiphe lesisikhangiso, lenkampani kagwayi yajabulela ukwanda ngamaphesenti angu-64 kwemikhiqizo eyithengisela intsha. Ukuhlola okwenziwa eMedical College of Georgia (e-U.S.A.) kwathola ukuthi amaphesenti angu-91 ezingane ezineminyaka eyisithupha ezahlolwa ayemazi lomlingiswa obhemayo ongupopayi.
Omunye othandwayo ezikhangisweni zikagwayi uyi-cowboy eyiqhawe enesigijimi esithi, ngokomunye osemusha, “Lapho ubhema, akekho ongakunqanda.” Kuthiwa umkhiqizo othengwa kakhulu emhlabeni ugwayi ongamaphesenti angu-69 emakethe phakathi kwentsha ebhemayo futhi owumkhiqizo okhangiswa kakhulu kunayo yonke. Njengenye indlela yokushukumisa, iphakethe ngalinye linamathikithi, angashintshwa uthole obhogadi, izigqoko, nezingubo zezemidlalo ezithandwa intsha.
Eqaphela amandla amakhulu ezikhangiso, amaqembu amelene nokubhema aye aphumelela ekuvimbeleni izikhangiso zikagwayi kuthelevishini nasemsakazweni emazweni amaningi. Nokho, enye indlela lababakhangisi bakagwayi abaphamba ngayo uhulumeni iwukubeka amabhodi ezikhangiso ngokuhlakanipha ezinkundleni zezemidlalo. Ngakho-ke, umdlalo ovezwa kuthelevishini, onentsha eningi eyizibukeli, ungase uveze umdlali othandwayo esemi ngomumo phambi kwebhodi lesikhangiso elide ngemva kwakhe.
Ezindaweni zamabhizinisi noma phambi kwezikole, abesifazane abagqoke iziketi ezimfushane ezihehayo noma izingubo zama-cowboy noma ze-safari banikeza intsha ehlabeke umxhwele noma enelukuluku lokufuna ukwazi ugwayi wamahhala. Ezikhungweni zemidlalo ye-video, ema-disco, nasemakhonsathini e-rock, kuhanjiswa amasampula amahhala. Icebo lenkampani ethile lokuthengisa elavezelwa imithombo yezindaba labonisa ukuthi umkhiqizo othile eCanada wawugxiliswe kwabesilisa abakhuluma isiFulentshi abaneminyaka esukela kwengu-12 kuya kwengu-17.
Isigijimi esikhangayo siwukuthi ukubhema kuletha injabulo, ubungqabavu, amandla, nokuthandeka. “Lapho ngangisebenza khona,” kusho omunye umxhumanisi wezikhangiso, “sasizama ngamandla ukuthonya izingane ezineminyaka engu-14 ukuba ziqale ukubhema.” Izikhangiso e-Asia ziveza abasubathi baseNtshonalanga abanempilo, abasebasha besemabhishi nasezinkundleni zemidlalo—kuyilapho empeleni bebhema. “Onobuhle baseNtshonalanga nezindlela zokuphila zakhona kubeka izindinganiso ezikhangayo ukuzilingisa,” kuphawula iphephabhuku elithile lezohwebo, “futhi abantu ababhemayo base-Asia abaneliswa.”
Ngemva kokuchitha izigidi zezinkulungwane zamaRandi ngokukhangisa, abathengisi bakagwayi baye baphumelela kakhulu. Umbiko okhethekile we-Reader’s Digest wabonisa ukuthi kuyashaqisa ukwanda kwenani lentsha ebhemayo. Lombiko uthi: “EPhilippines, amaphesenti angu-22,7 abantu abangaphansi kweminyaka engu-18 aseyabhema. Kwamanye amadolobha aseLatin America, izinga lentsha lingamaphesenti ashaqisayo angu-50. EHong Kong, ngisho nezingane ezineminyaka eyisikhombisa ziyabhema.”
Nokho, ngisho nakuba ugwayi uchuma kwamanye amazwe, izinkampani zikagwayi ziqaphela ngokudabukisayo ukuthi zizidonsela amanzi ngomsele. Ayini amathuba kagwayi okubhekana nalokhu?
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 3]
Amakhasimende awo aphambili ayaqhubeka efa
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 5]
I-Asia, izinkundla ezintsha zikagwayi zokubulala
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 6]
Amaphesenti angu-90 abo bonke abasanda kuqala ukubhema—izingane nentsha!
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 4]
Izithako Ezibhubhisayo—Yini Equkethwe Ugwayi?
Abenzi bakagwayi bangase basebenzise izithasiselo zamakhemikhali ezihlukahlukene ezingafinyelela ku-700, kodwa umthetho uyazivumela lezizinkampani ukuba zigcine izindlela zazo zokuthaka ziyimfihlo. Nokho, kulezizithako kunezithako ezisansimbi ezinamandla, nezibulala-zinambuzane. Ezinye izithako zinoshevu kangangokuba kunqatshelwe ngokomthetho ukuzilahla endaweni egqitshwayo. Lelofu lentuthu kagwayi liqukethe izinto ezingaba ngu-4 000, kuhlanganise ne-acetone, i-arsenic, i-butane, i-carbon monoxide, ne-cyanide. Amaphaphu abantu ababhemayo nawabantu abaseduze achayeka okungenani ezintweni ezingu-43 ezaziwayo ezibangela umdlavuza.
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 5]
Abangabhemi Basengozini
Ingabe uhlala, usebenza, noma uhamba namaxhwele kagwayi? Uma kunjalo, kungenzeka usengozini enkulu yomdlavuza wamaphaphu nesifo senhliziyo. Ukuhlola kuka-1993 okwenziwa i-U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) kwaphetha ngokuthi intuthu kagwayi engcolisa indawo ezungezile (ETS [environmental tobacco smoke]) iyimbangela yomdlavuza yeSigaba A, esiyingozi kunazo zonke. Lombiko obanzi wahlaziya imiphumela yokuhlola okungu-30 okuphathelene nentuthu eyizikhatha ekhishwa ugwayi kanye nentuthu ephumayo lapho umuntu ephefumula.
I-EPA ithi ukuhogela intuthu kagwayi kubangela umdlavuza wamaphaphu obulala abantu abangu-3 000 unyaka ngamunye e-United States. Ngo-June 1994 i-American Medical Association yahlanganisa iziphetho nokuhlola eyakunyathelisa okubonisa ukuthi abesifazane abangabhemi kodwa abahogela i-ETS basengozini engamaphesenti angu-30 yokungenwa umdlavuza wamaphaphu kunabanye abangazange babheme ukuphila kwabo konke.
Kubantwana, ukuhogela intuthu kagwayi kubangela iziguli ezingu-150 000 kuya kwezingu-300 000 eziphethwe isifo sokucinana kwemigudu yokuphefumula ne-pneumonia minyaka yonke. Ukubhema kubhebhethekisa isifuba somoya kubantwana abangu-200 000 kuya kwabangu-1 000 000 ngonyaka e-United States.
I-American Heart Association ilinganisela ukuthi abantu abangu-40 000 ngonyaka babulawa izifo zenhliziyo nemithambo yegazi ezibangelwa i-ETS.
[Isithombe ekhasini 7]
Unobuhle wase-Asia onguphumalanga sikothe nezisulu